There's Chief of Staff Leo McGarry (John Spencer), a recovering alcoholic whose efforts to be the cornerstone of the administration contribute to the break-up of his marriage. CJ (Alison Janney) is the formidable Press Spokeswoman embroiled in a tentative on-off relationship with Timothy (Thirtysomething) Busfield's reporter. Brilliant but grumpy communications deputy Toby Ziegler, Rob Lowe's brilliant but faintly nerdy Sam Seaborn and brilliant but smart-alecky Josh Lyman makes up the rest of the inner circle. Initially, the series' creators had intended to keep the President off-screen. Wisely, however, they went with Martin Sheen's Jed Bartlet, whose eccentric volatility, caution, humour and strength in a crisis make for such an impressively plausible fictional President that polls once expressed a preference for Bartlet over the genuine incumbent.

The second series of The West Wing takes up where the first one left off and, a few moments of slightly toe-curling patriotic sentimentalism apart, maintains the series' astonishingly high standards in depicting the everyday life of the White House staff of a Democratic administration. With Aaron Sorkin's dialogue ranging as ever from dry, staccato mirth to almost biblical gravitas, an ensemble of overworked (and curiously undersexed) characters and an overall depiction of the workings of government that's both gratifyingly idealised yet chasteningly realistic, The West Wing is one of the all-time great American TV dramas. --David Stubbs

Well done to all involved in the decision to release such an excellent insight into White House workings on the DVD format


Oh my word.   November 10, 2004
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

A friend of mine reccomended The West Wing to me. I knew it was a programme on channel 4 but had never seen it. One day I thoguht i'd buy this 2 series set and to date it was probably the best purchase I have ever made.

I was skeptical at first, to be honest I did take 3 or 4 episodes to really get into The West Wing (not that the first few episodes were bad, i've gone back and rewatched them since and they are great) but once you get hooked this show will never let you go. Every episode in series 1 is so tightly made it flows perfectly. Great storylines, even better characters - played perfectly by a great cast including Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe and Bradley Whitford. There are 3 main different types of episodes in the West Wing (and this is true for all the following series') there are the funny episodes (which are still dramatic, not outright comedy), the dramaitc episodes, and the episodes which combine the two. Most are the third type. They hold a tight story with great moments of humour (but never out of place), the best example of this is "Take this Sabbath day", which is still one of my favourite episodes ever. The funny episodes, "Lord John Marbury" being a good example. The serious episodes however, are where the West Wing shines.

Comedy is great, but it's the West Wing's ability to be truely moving as well is what makes this possibly the best television programme ever. The climax to series 2, "Two Cathedrals", without going into any spoilers, is truely amazing - and those words do not do it any sort of justice. It's moving, tear jerking, powerful and will have you sitting on the edge of your seat (and until you see series 3 :D).

If I could watch only one TV programme ever again it would be the West Wing - even if I have seen the epsidoes all before, they never get tired.


"Did you know that I'm a National Park fanatic?"   July 6, 2004
 2 out of 4 found this review helpful

Martin Sheen's fictional 'national park fanatic' character of President Jeb Bartlet is just one of a truely breathtaking cast on the multi award-winning politic drama 'The West Wing'. Set in pre-millenia America, it claims to be completely fictious and not in any way a parody of the now shambolic presidency of George W. Bush. True, the democrates are in power and in no way do Dick Cheeney, Colin Powell or Grand Master Bush mirror the wonderfully crafted characters of C.J, Sam, Toby or the quite brilliant Leo, right hand man to the President.
The box set itself is an absoloute steal, containing all 44 episodes of both series 1 and 2, and a must have for any fan of the hugely successful show.
I have yet to see series 3, but if it follows the foundations set in series 1, and the tremendous development in series 2, this show could just be something quite special.


Aaron Sorkin - Take a Bow   July 5, 2004
 3 out of 4 found this review helpful

The West Wing TV Series is as good as any series could be or ever WILL be. The Boxed Set for Series 1 & 2 from Amazon UK is also deserving of plaudits and gratitude from customers - the PRICE is incredible, especially when one is used to Australian prices.So heartfelt thanks again Amazon UK !!
Aaron Sorkin has written a wonderful series which gives us an inside look at politics in America made even more fantastic when condidered that people reviewing it here are not from the USA and therefore have no "vested interest" in the subject matter.
The dialogue moves along at an amazing speed - also concise, sometimes humerous, sometimes not,depicting a president who has flaws, his doctor wife who leads her own life and strongly objects to the term "First Lady" - both these roles are magnificently carried by Martin Sheen and Stockard Channing - a mesmerising performance by Allison Janney as CJ, and great support from an exceptionally talented cast, too numerous to mention individually here.
I'm not sure if West Wing will go into a fourth series - I hope it does - but either way it is a magnificent tribute to what can be achieved when the best of the best are put together to pool their talents. From now on anthing fearturing the writing of Aaron Sorkin will be viewed with great anticipation by many of us, I'm sure


Well done A ma Zon   June 22, 2004
 0 out of 4 found this review helpful

I oreded this fantastic Box set late Saturday night and got it monday mourning well done amazon, other than that the DVD box set is excelent 12 DVD full of hours of pure entertainment, interveiws and jokes, (yes i am talking the westwing)i did not however thaught that i had seen the first series but thats not relevant good bye i highly recomend it